Manali an Amazing Weekend Getaway

So you have had enough of the heat and dust of the famous Indian summer and are in the

Kick away the heat at snowy and cool Manali

mood to beat it? Don’t despair as yet, go to Manali instead! Manali is the perfect weekend getaway. Manali, a picture postcard of a town along the Beas river in the state of Himachal Pradesh, a mere 12 hours (602 km) drive from Delhi is the perfect getaway from the jejune cityscape and the ideal site for your senses to feast on and gambol in the undulating orchards, sloping wild flower fields and breathtaking scenery. There are many good and affordable Manali tour packages you can choose from (if you are a wee bit lazy and time pressed). But most tour operators in India will happily customize your tour as per your fancy wishes.

The Welcoming Manali Mountains

Blue sky and you!
Manali is approachable by air, the road and the trains as well depending on where you are located; however if you are at Delhi, it is highly recommended that you take the road.
The journey with the river Beas acting as your guide and the dewy early morning vistas are a worthy prequel to the blockbuster of a time that you are going to have in the hill station where the sky is blue forever!

The hills are alive with the sound of adventure!

This lovely Himalayan town may remind you about your sojourn in the Alps and the

abundance of adventure sports like skiing, trekking, mountain biking enhance the illusion. One local sport that has made it to the pages of the ‘Time’ is the Yak skiing and it is something to be seen with one’s own eyes and not be written or read about. Proximity to the Beas make kayaking and rafting other enjoyable alternatives.

Paragliding at Solang Valley Manali

We described Manali as being a mint for your soul not because of its beauty alone. Truly it’s beautiful but at the same time its supple environment breeds a bout of boisterousness which is simply irresistible and you come out feeling young.Adventure sports are a great way to beat the chill in the air which happens because Manali is not far from the snow line and though it is open throughout the year, the best time to visit is definitely between May and October.

Indian Noah and the meaning of Manali!

Normally we would have informed you about its history right at the beginning but we presumed that you were in too much of a hurry to get away from the grime and the grind, or both. Actually, the way we saw it is that it is best to discover Manali as a cool place to beat the Indian summer and once your frayed nerves are relaxed and you are curious enough to ask, ‘ Wonderful climate, lovely pix and some cool spots as well but is that all? I mean, aren’t there stories for every Indian town? This one looks..looks..err, so unIndian, I wonder if it has any history at all?’-it is the right time to tell you about the meaning of Manali and the Indian Noah!

Hidimba Temple Manali

Manali literally means the abode of Manu. Manu according to Indian mythology or the Puranas is the progenitor of all mankind and the Indian word ‘Manava’, meaning human is formed from the name Manu. Keeping it straight and simple, the Indian Puranas divide Time with the stewardship of different Manus and Vaivaswata, or the 7th Manu is the one we are concerned with.

The 7th Manu came to know that a great deluge will drown the whole world and he chose seven sages and climbed atop an ark which saved their lives. When the waters receded, they found themselves on a hilltop which legends say was Manali. Rumour has it that since that day everything in Manali has looked brand new because it was the starting point of a whole new world!

Sounds familiar? Well, this is just another eye opener to the fact that all the ancient civilizations shared myths.

The Mahabharata Connection!
The Mahabharata is the great Indian Epic along with the Ramayana and comprise the four

Manuscript illustration of the Battle of Kurukshetra from Mahabharata

primary epics along with Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey. Hidimba temple and the Arjuna caves in Manali are two places that are associated with the epic and if you want to enjoy the sites wholly, you are advised to read a summary of the epic.

Then there is also a temple dedicated to Manu, which is a must-see depending on how ethnologically progressive you are. Hot springs at Vasisth, the Solang valley and the Rohtang Pass are some of the other memorable spots that you will become a part of your Manali memory forever!